Marengo please keep translations of any articles coming. I really enjoy them. I always thought how in love this couple were, the first royals that I actually saw showing affection in public, holding hands and smiling at each other.
Thank you, I have always admired Queen Fabiola and the more I read about her the more I admire her.

It is very painful for me to read that HM King Baudouin died needlessly due to the incompetence of the surgeons. He should have used specialists recommended by Princess Liliane, or have come here to U.S. to the Cleveland Clinic.

Between all the articles about Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, Cecilia Sarkozy, Andree Sarkozy, Nicholas Sarkozy, Sarkozy's sons, Sarkozy's dogs and Sarkozy's socks, French 'royalty' magazine Point de Vue wrote a rather harsh article on the Belgian monarchy, which is quite remarkable as the magazine never before could be caught on a critical approach to anything.

In the article they call the Belgian RF old fashioned, out of touch and the palace seems to be in a winter sleep. Only princess Astrid judged positively and presented as the redeemer of the Belgian monarchy. Not very original though they do have a point IMHO.

"Out of touch" and "old fashioned" to some, dignified and classy to many others like me.

Point of Vue only wants headline grabbing celebrity types on their cover, which is fine. Stick to covering President Bling and his First Lady and William and Kate and Harry and his various squeezes, and good luck to them.

Let those of us who us who enjoy royalty behaving like real royalty read "Royals" magazine instead.

Between all the articles about Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, Cecilia Sarkozy, Andree Sarkozy, Nicholas Sarkozy, Sarkozy's sons, Sarkozy's dogs and Sarkozy's socks, French 'royalty' magazine Point de Vue wrote a rather harsh article on the Belgian monarchy, which is quite remarkable as the magazine never before could be caught on a critical approach to anything.

In the article they call the Belgian RF old fashioned, out of touch and the palace seems to be in a winter sleep. Only princess Astrid judged positively and presented as the redeemer of the Belgian monarchy. Not very original though they do have a point IMHO.

Marengo,
I don't read French, so would you mind paraphrasing why Princess Astrid is thought of so highly by Point de Vue?

"Out of touch" and "old fashioned" to some, dignified and classy to many others like me.

Point of Vue only wants headline grabbing celebrity types on their cover, which is fine. Stick to covering President Bling and his First Lady and William and Kate and Harry and his various squeezes, and good luck to them.

Let those of us who us who enjoy royalty behaving like real royalty read "Royals" magazine instead.

Point de Vue's article made it to the Belgian and Dutch press even. Some points:

- King Albert is uncharismatic
- Prince Filips is the focus of mockeries
- Queen Paola is a granny with a rigid expression
- Queen Fabiola is 'drowed' in a cult around her late husband
- Mathilde became boring and colorless
- Laurent is disastrous

The only one who escapes criticism is Princess Astrid: 'She has a radiant appearance'.

In an interview with 'Het Nieuwsblad' the editro of Point de Vue, Colombe Pringle, said: 'your royal family isn't exactly fantastic. The Belgian monarchy isn't cheerful, glamorous or dynamic. The members aren't capable to do anything, they can't say anything worth while. I hope that they can re-invent themselves quickly'.

Point de Vue criticisizing royalty! What is the world coming to! The last covers have been devoted to people who have nothing to do with royalty and some of their articles are downright boring. I have just been to our house in the country where I have stored most of my old copies (no room in our town flat) and as I was going to throw them out (about time) I sat down and started to read. How Point de Vue has changed, they used to have fascinating coverage of things that at least I find interesting. Now there is no "cuisine" no coverage of the British scene, the beautiful pictures of royal jewels have all but disappeared.
As far as I am concerned I like the dignified behaviour of Princess Mathilde and if that is boring some royal family members - not confined to the Belgian royals - should be a bit more boring.

Well, though I do not like the present PdV either, I certainly see where they are coming from, so we shoudln't kill the messenger. It isn't that this criticism is new, we have heard it for years, maybe even for a decade (or more). I think of all the monarchies in Europe the Belgian one seems the one that is most isolated and in a sort of cocoon with incompetant nobles, sorted out for their birth, still running the court of the king. And that the heir seems rather troubled in the social skills department isn't very handy either.

As much as I like Mathilde, I do think that in todays monarchies it is not enough to just give the madonna-smile, receive flowers and that is it. As others noted before in the HUMO interview on Queen Fabiola, it seems she lost her voice. It seems she only whispers instead of speaks these days.

In any case, the Belgian RF has a severe image problem, which won't be solved easily. I do not blame the Flemish press for that problem btw, the interview with the duke of Brabant and his appearance in Beijing was downright embarrasing. Everything so tense and he seems to move like a wooden doll. That Dutch obviously is his second language doesn't help much either of course.

I don't agree with PdV's description of Queen Fabiola, bathing in a cult of her late husband. That might be an image that is projected by the media (who are always too fond of describing her as an over-religious person), not by reality. Though she obviously treasures her late husbands memory of course.

I have been disappointed with Point de Vue, for a long time. And itīs not because of their article criticizing the BRF. It used to be a very enjoyable magazine, full of interesting things about royalty and became an androginous publication, with covers that show people who arenīt interesting at all. They are completely obssessed by the Sarkozy family.

Pointe de Vue isn't a mag i'd go out and buy. It's a slow week and they have nothing much to report. However, I totally agree Laurent is a disaster.

It's funny - I've seen Philippe twice and both times he looked as if he was ashamed of being recognised. Completely ill at ease. First time was at the greenhouses at Laeken. He was with Matthilde with their daughter and Philippe pushing the pram with the baby. Matthilde knows how to act in public. She looked right at me and gave me a big smile. Of course, I smiled right back. Philippe just pushed the pram along looking at the ground. He really needs a few lessons in how to get the public to like him because he really gives off negative vibes. Like he really doesn't like us.

2nd time he was walking along with his kiddies in Knokke, the day after Matthilde's dad died. So obviously he took them to the beach to get them out of the way at a difficult time. The kids were dressed all alike in red dungarees. All laughing and cute together. Tumbling all over their dad in these go-carts along the digue. But again, he was all hunched up not wanting to be noticed.

Pointe de Vue isn't a mag i'd go out and buy. It's a slow week and they have nothing much to report. However, I totally agree Laurent is a disaster.

It's funny - I've seen Philippe twice and both times he looked as if he was ashamed of being recognised. Completely ill at ease. First time was at the greenhouses at Laeken. He was with Matthilde with their daughter and Philippe pushing the pram with the baby. Matthilde knows how to act in public. She looked right at me and gave me a big smile. Of course, I smiled right back. Philippe just pushed the pram along looking at the ground. He really needs a few lessons in how to get the public to like him because he really gives off negative vibes. Like he really doesn't like us.

2nd time he was walking along with his kiddies in Knokke, the day after Matthilde's dad died. So obviously he took them to the beach to get them out of the way at a difficult time. The kids were dressed all alike in red dungarees. All laughing and cute together. Tumbling all over their dad in these go-carts along the digue. But again, he was all hunched up not wanting to be noticed.

I am really saddened by the fact that Pointe de Vue has joined a campaign of bashing the Belgian royal family. What has promoted Pointe de Vue to publsih this article? Could the article in question be paid by parties, who would like to get rid of monarchy?
I fail to understand the cristism of being boring and colourless levelled at Crown Princess Mathilde. What exactly do Belgians or any other party concerned want Crown Princess Mathilde to do? How should she become more colourful?

__________________"I never did mind about the little things"
Amanda, "Point of No Return"

I admire the Belgian royal family and especially Princess Mathilde, who, imho, is one of the best crown princesses of this generation. However, I think "Point de Vue" does have a point. The king and queen, especially the queen, are virtually invisible. Philippe and Mathilde have less then 150 activities a year (compare that to any other crown prince and princess of europe and you'll see the difference), every other member of the royal family, except Astrid, does pretty much nothing, yet they receive allowance. The Belgian monarchy is really out of touch these days. They need a shake up and serious image-changing work, otherwise the future for the belgian monarchy doesn't look too bright.

The fact that "Point de Vue", which isn't known for ciritsizing anyone and anything in the world, least of all monarchies, came up with this article, should send serious warning bells to the court.

I am really saddened by the fact that Pointe de Vue has joined a campaign of bashing the Belgian royal family. What has promoted Pointe de Vue to publsih this article? Could the article in question be paid by parties, who would like to get rid of monarchy? I fail to understand the cristism of being boring and colourless levelled to Crown Princess Mathilde. What exactly do Belgians or any other party concerned want Crown Princess Mathilde to do? How should she become more colourful?

Good question...perhaps the Princess should appear on the beach at Knokke in a bikini to show off her new post baby bod...you know...pretend to be J-Lo or some starlet...wander around in a bikini so that the press can speculate on her "baby bump" like Carla Bruni-Sarkozy.

Mathilde is perfect the way she is!

I am confused as to how HM Queen Fabiola can be reproached for "drowning in a cult of her late husband?" What the hell does that even mean?? Should she send out a press release asking journalists and citizens to please stop mentioning the late King's name and request that all official and non official mention of him cease in the press?

It's a GOOD thing that Baudouin's name and memory are revered by so many, if you ask me.

It's Point de Vue that needs an image makeover...they have become just another tabloid.